Marian's fans spent to make her win sexiest title

Author: Mario E. Bautista
Column: Dream Factory

Marian Rivera has been officially announced as the top choice in this year's search for FHM's 100 Sexiest Women, the first winner who has never even graced its cover.

In an interview, Marian said she'd agree to pose for them if she'd win, so now, she'll have to make her promise true. Her manager, Popoy, says Marian will fulfill that promise as soon as her schedule allows it.

One thing sure is that Marian will attend the FHM event at World Trade Center on July 17. GMA-7 is so lucky as their show, "Dyesebel," has the sexiest man and woman winners. Marian is numero uno with FHM, while Dingdong Dantes, it will be recalled, earlier topped the list of sexiest bachelors of Cosmo Magazine. On July 18, right after the FHM event, both Marian and Dingdong are flying to the U.S. to join the "Eat Bulaga" show at the Los Angeles Sports Arena.

Popoy denies the accusation that he spent a lot to make sure Marian would win in the FHM poll. "Wala kaming budget sa ganyan. And even Marian will get mad if I'd spend money for that. We never even expected she'd win kasi hindi naman siya sexy star and she has never posed for FHM.Pero mayayaman ang fans niya, lalo na 'yung Marianknights na taga-ibang bansa. Sila ang nagpadala ng pera para suportahan siya."

Marian got a total of 316,135 votes. Second placer Katrina Halili (who was Marian's contravida in "Marimar") is quite far with 123,239 votes. Angel Locsin got 121,288 votes. Even if you combine the votes garnered by Katrina and Angel, they won't be enough to beat Marian. Someone told us, though, that if the votes were based only on those made by actual FHM readers, it's Katrina who should have won. The great bulk of Marian's votes came from texting and emails. Like what we've said, the FHM poll has turned into a popularity contest among movie stars.

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After the success of her movie with Aga Muhlach, "When Love Begins," Anne Curtis is happy to star in Viva's Metro filmfest entry, "Baler," a war story to be directed by Mark Meily ("Crying Ladies").

"It's going to be a super-production and I'm glad to be a part of it," she says. "Siempre, happy rin ako na may ako na may entry sa filmfest in December."

Aside from that, her fans are already eagerly waiting for the telecast of her new fantaserye, "Dyosa," directed by Wenn Deramas. They thought it will be the show to replace "Lobo" but ABS-CBN decided to air Claudine Barretto's "Iisa Pa Lamang" instead.

"Mabuti na rin para mas mapaganda pa namin ang 'Dyosa.'Dahil nga rito, some people call me 'Dyosa' now when they see me."

Does she mind?

"No. Sino ba naman ang hindi matutuwang matawag siyang Dyosa? But I tell you, taping the show is so tiring kasi nga I play three different characters. May nagiging eagle, may mermaid and may centaur. Palagi pa akong naka-topless. Each role is very challenging, pero pinakamahirap 'yung centaur na half human-half horse, kasi the horse's body that I use is made of fiberglass at mahirap mag-move. But on the whole, I'm enjoying it as it's something I've never done before. I'm sure the show will please a lot of viewers."

Anne has no less than three leading men in "Dyosa": Sam Milby, Luis Manzano, and Zanjoe Marudo. She's happiest, of course, with Sam, who's her real squeeze.

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A sex video showing a young man in the act of satisfying himself is being circulated on the net and the rumor is that it's Starstruck IV winner Aljur Abrenica. But those close to Aljur say it's just a lookalike. It seems there's a demolition job on Aljur as it's also being rumored that he's seen playing footsies with a gay in the locker room of a gym.

"Hindi po ako 'yung nasa video at hindi rin totoo 'yung tungkol sa gym dahil ni hindi nga ako nakakapag-gym these dayssa sobrang hectic ng schedule ko," he says. "And why would I do such things na alam kong makakasira sa career ko? I don't mean to offend gays dahil I know marami akong gay fans, pero hindi po ako ma-kikipagl-andian sa bading, lalo sa isang gym. Ingat na ingat nga ako in every move I do dahil ayokong may masabi sa'king negative ang kahit sino."

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GMA-7 has found a new leading man in Mark Anthony Fernandez who's doing fine as Cyrus, Regine's temperamental boss in "Kim Sam Soon." His edge is that he's not only good-looking on screen but also acts so well. His dad, the late Rudy Fernandez, must be smiling from the great beyond now that Mark has totally recovered from his disastrous bout with drugs. It'll be recalled that Mark started with much promise as one of the "Guwa-pings" in the mid 1990s and he was launched to stardom by Star Cinema in "Mangarap Ka" with Claudine Barretto. But his subsequent junkie behavior became his undoing so he had to go into rehab. It was GMA-7 who gave him another break casting him in "Impostora" and "Kamandag" and he now certainly comes into his own in "Kim Sam Soon," where his fairly controlled acting perfectly balances the unrestrained attempts of Regine Velasquez at comedy. Mark is actually being projected as a sexy actor in the show as he's photographed shirtless in a number of scenes. In one scene, Regine sees him only in his boxers and in another scene, in his swimming trunks. There's also a scene where Regine enters the bathroom and he's already naked inside.

"Actually, nahihiya nga ako, lalo roon sa trunks scene," he says. "Sa set lang sinabi na I'll have to wear trunks.Pero okay lang kasi as an actor, dapat ready ka for anything. First time ko ginawa 'yun in my entire career, kahit sa pelikula. It's good I do work outs kaya prepared ako. Nakakahiya rin ang scene na hubad ako sa harap ni Miss Regine. Buti na lang at okay lang sa kanya at tawa lang siya nang tawa."

We think, though, that Mark still has to work out some more to add up more bulk to his too slender frame.

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Studio 23 has a new head, March Ventoza, replacing the amiable Leo Katigbak, who has been promoted to join the office of ABS-CBN president Charo Santos as head of special projects. He was officially introduced to the press and he promised to intensify the programming of the "Kabarkado Mo" station that targets yuppies or young professionals.

They have the best Hollywood TV shows on air, like the new drama "Dirty Sexy Money" that we've already written about, plus season 5 of "Two and a Half Men" with Charlie Sheen and John Cryer (Thursdays, 9:30 p.m.), "Ghost Whisperer" (Season 3) (Sunday, 8:45 p.m.), "Cheetah Girls" (Saturday, 7 p.m.), and the new seasons of "Brothers and Sisters," "Grey's Anatomy," "Ugly Betty," "Desperate Housewives," "Criminal Minds," "CSI" and "Smallville." For their "Barkada Nights" movies on Saturdays, they'll show "Analyze That" with Robert de Niro on July 12, "Swordfish" with John Travolta on July 19, and "The Tuxedo" with Jackie Chan on July 26. They also show "Pinoy Dream Academy Season 2" from 12 noon to 2 p.m., live streaming, plus the NCAA and UAAP games from Wednesday to Saturday afternoons. Their specials include the primetime telecast of "Miss Universe 2008" on July 15, 7:30 p.m., and the 10th Annual Teen Choice Awards hosted by teen sensation Miley Cyrus a.k.a. Hannah Montana on August 5, 8 a.m.

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More emails.

From Sheridan Bacu-linao: "Wala bang ibini-bigay na psychological test ang 'Pinoy Dream Academy' sa contestants nila bago ito mag-qualify? Kasi, obvious na may nakuha silang scholars na psychologically disturbed, like 'yung si Ross Dio na nag-quit tapos, sinasabi pang 'I'm not a quitter.' E ano kaya ang tawag niya sa sarili niya? Isa pa 'yung si Jet, hindi raw importante sa kanyang sumikat. Mas importante raw sa kanya ang family niya? Sobakit siya nag-join? Kasama nga siya roon sa mga wait-listed lang at nang mapili siya as the last scholar, iyak siya nang iyak sa kaligayahan. Tapos ngayon, wala siyang ginawa kundi mag-complain. Wish kong siya ang ma-expel between him and Sheng na game na gamenaman at siyang nag-volunteer sa punishments sa group nila na kinunan siyang halos hubad at ang takip lang ay floor mop. Napaiyak tuloy siya. Isa pang may behavioral problem ay itong si Laarni. Wala na siyang nakasundo. Buti nga't pumalag sa kanya si Bugoy nang sigawan niya ito. Masyado kasing bossy. Noong nasa One Voice siya, out of place na siya. Ngayong lumipat siya sa Pupilars, hirap na hirap ding mag-adjust. Kaya i-expel na rin 'yan. Basta ako, ang bet ko: si Van Fojas, followed by Hansen and Miguel. Sila lang ang may 'K' mag-showbiz kasi ang popogi nila."

From Arlene Sarah Santiago (addressed to Sarah Geronimo detractors): "Paano nyo naman po nasabi na hindi nag-hit ng husto ang'Sarah, The Teen Princess' at two soaps ni Sarah Geronimo? Nasusubaybayan nyo po ba ang career nya? Hindi po ba at mga basherslang po kayo kaya nyo kinocomment-an ng gayan? At baka hindi nyo po alam na nag-#1 ang 'Pangarap Na Bituin' sa primetime ano? If i'm not mistaken nakakuha ito ng 57% rating. At isa ang 'Bituing Walang Ningning' sa nagging hit na teleserye ng ABS-CBN. Phenomenon kaya yun! So iyan po ba ang 'di mga nag-hit na soap ni Sarah? Isa si Sarah sa mga biggest star ng ABS-CBN at matataas ang ratings ng mga shows nya dun. Bakit nyo po ba pilit na dinadown ang isang artistang walang ginagawang masama sa inyo?Ano po ba ang tawag nyo diyan? Kase ako ang pagkakaintidi ko po sa mga bagay na ganyan ay insecurity. Naiingit po ba kayo dahil isang napakalaking bituin si Sarah? 'Wag nyo nang i-down o siraan si Sarah ng kung anu-ano dahil alam ng maraming tao na napakarami na nyang napatunayan mapa-acting, comedy, dancing, hosting, and especially singing."

Email us at mmhannah143@yahoo.com.

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Paolo Contis was also rushed to the hospital because of acute stomach pain and test showed that he's suffering from kidney stones. He was given proper medication and hopefully, the stones will be excreted naturally without him having to undergo surgery.

"I now have to be more careful with my diet," he says. "Bawal na ang masyadong salty foods at 'yung sobrang protein na source daw ng stones."

But he's happy that his career continues to be on a roll. After "Babangon Ako't Dudurugin Kita," he's now with Richard Gutierrez in "Codename: Asero." And after winning the Star best actor award for "Banal," he's now in the cast of two new films. He will be with Rufa Mae Quinto in Viva's "Civil Status: Single," directed by Joey Reyes. He will be playing a gay role, something that he has played before in films and on TV. He's also in the cast of Viva's Metro filmfest entry, "Baler."

"May offer din ang Octoarts for their filmfest entry, 'One Night Only,' but hindi pa sure kung maisisingit ko pa sa scheduleko," he says.

Source: Malaya